Toy airplane



Aug. 26, 1952 H. J. PERKER ETAL TOY AIRPLANE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed June 15, 1949 Aug. 26, 1952 H. J. PERKER ETAL TOY AIRPLANE Filed June 15, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 .Zdi

Invehior H2422?" L%f e7%er 0 7 nderisvn Patented Aug. 26, 1952 TOY AIRPLANE Henry J. Perker'and Carl R. Anderson, Chicago,.

111., assignors to Perand Products, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 15, 194:9,"Serial No. 99,146

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a new and improved toy airplane.

Simulation of flight for toy airplanes has long been sought. Motors have been used as well as other means to effect flight or at least partial flight of these toy planes. No one has successfully produced an economical toy airplane which would simulate actual flight.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide an economically constructed toy airplane which is capable of moving through space in a manner corresponding to the fhght of real airplanes.

An important object of this invention is the provision of means in a toy airplane for causing the plane to move downwardly and upwardly in a manner simulating the flight of airplanes.

Another important object of this invention is to supply rotatable inertia means journally carried in a toy airplane along with suitable string means for effecting an unwinding and thereafter a winding of the string means on the rotatable inertia means to create downward and upward flight of the toy airplane.

Another important object of this invention is to provide wheel means in a toy airplane constituting rotatable inertia means to provide the dual function of ground wheels and means to effect lowering and raising of the toy plane in the manner on a string means.

Another and still further important object of this invention is the provision of a toy airplane eonstruction having a rotatable inertia member for effecting vertical flight of the plane and in cooperation therewith a restricted aperture in the body of the plane to guide movement of the inertia member operating strand.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide threading means for the operating strand of a rotatable inertia member into a restricted aperture in a toy airplane.

Anotherand further important object of this invention is the provision of a lever arm means in a toy airplane construction of the type having flight through a vertical path for maintaining the plane on an even keel.

Another and still further important object of this invention is to supply a toy airplane with a rotatable inertia member in the form of a plane propeller and conducive in the simulation of vertical flight of a plane.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide means inany size or shape of bodyjmember for effecting up; and down movement of that member.

Other and further important objects-and advantages will become; apparent from .the :disclosures in the following specification and accompanying drawings: I

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top-plane view of a toy airplane of this invention. 1

Figure 21s a front elevational view of the plane as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the plane of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view detail of a portion of the bodyof the plane of Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of a modified toy airplane.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the plane of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of a further modified form of toy airplane of this invention.

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of the plane of Figure 7.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral It! indicates generally a toy airplane having alongitudinally extending body I2 and laterally extending wing members I4 and [6. The wings are equipped with propellers l8 and '20 and each is mounted in a simulated engine mounting 22 and 24 respectively. The rearward portion of the body of the plane has short tail wings 26 and 28 as well as a vertically disposed rudder 30.

As best shown 'in Figure 2 the toy plane is provided with a large rotatable inertia, member 32 comprising spaced side disc members 34 and 36 as well as a central annular slot 38. The member 32 doubles in function as a ground on: gaging wheel and device to effect simulated vertical flight of the toy plane by means of a string orstrand 40 being wound or unwound in the annular slot 33 somewhat as a top.

As best shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 the elonated body l2 substantially covers the rotatable inertia member 32 so that the outward appearance of the device is merely that of an airplane. The rotatable inertia member-32 i mounted for rotation on a shaft 42 carried in depending bracket members 45 from the wing members I4 and It respectively. The shaft-42 is located substantially on the center of gravity of theplane so that the plane is balanced from front to rear about this axis. The body l2 of the plane is equipped with arestricted aperture 48 in the top thereof and located above the rotatable inertia member. 32. The string (l0- is a'dapted to move upwardly and downwardly through this aperture 48 for the purpose of efiecting an up and down movement of the plane I0. It is of course the function of the rotatable inertia member to climb or roll up on the string 40 and by proper manipulation of the string by the operator the rotatable inertia member then rides down the string and vertical reciprocal movements can be continued by slight movements of the operators hand while holding the upper end 50 of the string 40. The restricted aperture 48 performs several functions. Primarily it maintains the guiding of the string 40 and prevents wrapping of the string about anything but the hub of the annular slot 38. A' second function attributable to the restricted aperture is its preventing swinging or rotatable movement of the entire plane I about the rotatable inertia member.

In executing the operation of this toy airplane the operator may, after aseries of vertical movements, decide to permit. the plane to come in contact with the ground and thereupon may release his grip on the upper end 50 of the-string 46, and permit the wheel or rotatable inertia member 32 to continue its forward roll and thus carry the entire plane alongjthe ground with the rotatable inertia member 32 acting as a ground wheel. It will be understood, of course, that as the rotatable inertia member rotates on the ground the string 40 will wind around in the annular slot 38 and pull the upper end 50 thereof through the restricted aperture 48 and continue rolling as long as the inertia of the wheel continues. Further or succeeding operations of the toy airplane will therefore necessitate the threading of the string upwardly through the restricted aperture 48. In order to facilitate this threading the following described special means is provided. As best shown in Figure 1 an enlarged aperture 52 is provided in the forward nose portion 54of the body of the plane through whichan operator may easily pass the end 50 of the string 40. A narrow slot 56 communicates with the restricted aperture 48 and the enlarged aperture 52 so that the string 40 may be pulled upwardly through'the narrow slot till it reaches the restricted aperture 48. In order that the string remain in the aperture 48 during operation of the plane andparticularly during flight operation thereof, a cross bar 58 is attached at 60 to the body portion I2 of the plane ID. The cross bar 58 ha over the narrow slot Stand is positioned adjacent the restricted aperture 48. The bar 58 is relieved slightly on its underside as shown at 62 so that a string may be slipped under the bar and may enter the aperture 48 through the narrow slot 56 by a sidewise pulling of the string thereunder. Obviously during vertical reciprocation of the string 46 the string cannot leave the restricted aperture 43 and go downwardly through the slot 56 for the reason that the cross bar 58 lies in its path. Thus an effective string threading device is provided with the toy airplane of this invention.

Figures 5 and 6 show a modified form of toy airplane 64, also incorporating a rotatable inertia member 66- which consists of a pair of relatively widelyspaced wheel members 68 and 'Il]. Intermediate the wheels 68 and III is a spool-like member 12 for reception of a string 14. The wheel members and the spool are all rotatably mounted as a unit with a shaft 16 carried in depending brackets I8 and 80 from the plane wings 82 and 84 respectively. Similarly to th toy airplane ID as shownin Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the toy airplane 64 includes a body 86 having a nose 88, tail wings and 92, and as shown in Figure 6 an upwardly extending rudder member 94. Figure 6 shows that the body 86 of the plane 64 also includes a restricted aperture 96 through which the string 14 may be confined for easy vertica1 reciprocal movements, but without transverse or lateral movements. It should be understood that threading means may be employed with the plane of Figures 5 and 6 in the same manner as that employed for the plane of Figure 1. However, it was not deemed necessary to show the threading device associated with the plane of Figures 5 and 6. Operation of the toy airplanes III and 64 is substantially identical. The relatively widely spaced wheels 68 and 10 give the plane 64 more ground stability and prevent wing tipping of the plane 64.

Figures 7 and 8 show a further modified form of airplane designated by the numeral 98. In the planes of IE] and 64 the rotatable inertia member was mounted on a transversely disposed axle or shaft, Whereas in plane 98 the rotatable inertia member I30 is mounted on a longitudinally extending shaft N32. The shaft I02 is mounted in spaced bearings I04 and I06 in the forward and'rearward ends of the body I08 of the airplane 98. The rotatable inertia member IE3 in the present plane includes a simulated propeller member I I0 and a spool II2 for receiving a string member I I4. Operation of the plane 98 thus in addition to causing the plane to move in simulated vertical flight also causes rotation of the propeller IIB with respect to the body of theplane I08. I

The body I38 of the plane 98 is provided with a restricted aperture-I I6 located directly above the string winding spool H2, thus guiding the movement of the string II4 onto the spool and permitting free and uninterrupted reciprocal -'movement. The plane 98 is provided with aligned laterally extending wing members IIS and I23. The plane 98 is further equipped with tail wings I22 and I24 and a rudder I26 similar in many respects to the appointments of planes I0 and 64. As best shown in Figure 7 wheel members I28 and I33 are provided beneath the wingr'nembers H8 and I2!) by means of brackets I32 and I34 depending from the underside of these wings respectively. Each of the wheels I28 and I30 is mounted on ashort shaft I 36 and I38 respectively, journaled in the brackets I32 and I34. Primarily the wheels I23 and I30 are for ornamental purposes and simulate the ground wheels of a real airplane.

Vertical flight movement of the plane 98 differs quite a bitfrom the planes I 0 and because the rotatable inertia member is mounted for rotation on a longitudinal axis and the wings H8 and I20 tend to rotate with the propeller II II. In order to eliminate this tendency an inverted cone housing member I40 is attached to the body I08 at I42 and has an upwardly extendingrestricted aperture I44 at the top-thereof, thus the restricted aperture I44 is spaced considerably above the first restricted aperture H6 and continues the functions of that first aperture and in addition provides through the cone member I 40 a lever arm acting constantly to limit r pre vent rotational movements of the entire plane about the shaft I92; There is no necessity for having a threading device associatedwith the plane of 98 for thereason that the ground jeri.v gaging wheels do not rotate'the rotatable inertia? member to wind up the string II4 on the spool.

H2 as in the planes l0 and 64. However, the restricted aperture H6 along with the restricted aperture M4 performs the same function as the restricted aperture 48 and 96 of planes l0 and 64, respectively. Guiding of the string is an important factor in the successful operation of the toy airplane of this invention.

Although the specification mentions toy airplanes as the embodiment of the rotatable inertia member it is obvious that it could be built into the housing of any device or toy to effect vertical reciprocal movement. Such toys include dirigibles, blimps, balls, automobiles, or any'device having a housing within which a rotatable inertia member may be journaled.

Numerous details of construction may be varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles disclosed herein, and we therefore do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A t-oy comprising a body structure, rotatable inertia means journally carried by said body structure, shield means forming part of said body structure and covering at least the top portion of said rotatable inertia means, said shield means provided with a restricted opening in the top thereof, string means attached to said rotatable inertia means and extending upwardly through said restricted opening, whereby the toy may be moved downwardly and upwardly by manipulation of the string means, means for threading the string from the rotatable inertia means through the restricted opening, and said means for threading including the body structure have ing a slot extending from a position adjacent the rotatable inertia means to the restricted opening and a finger attached at one end to said body structure and having a free end extending across said slot adjacent the restricted opening, whereby the string may be passed through said slot and under said finger to enter the restricted opening.

HENRY J. PERKER. CARL R. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Bell Dec. 9, 1930 

